diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 1db444a..6322464 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ var (
 	addr       string
 	sKey       string
 	stats      = newStreamStats()
+	sAdminPass string
 )
 
 func setupSettings() error {
@@ -30,6 +31,11 @@ func setupSettings() error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("Missing stream key is settings.json")
 	}
 
+	if sAdminPass != "" {
+		fmt.Println("Password provided at runtime; ignoring password in set in settings.")
+		settings.AdminPassword = sAdminPass
+	}
+
 	sstore = sessions.NewCookieStore([]byte(settings.SessionKey))
 	sstore.Options = &sessions.Options{
 		Path:     "/",
@@ -43,6 +49,7 @@ func setupSettings() error {
 func main() {
 	flag.StringVar(&addr, "l", "", "host:port of the MovieNight")
 	flag.StringVar(&sKey, "k", "", "Stream key, to protect your stream")
+	flag.StringVar(&sAdminPass, "a", "", "Set admin password.  Overrides configuration in settings.json.  This will not write the password to settings.json.")
 	flag.BoolVar(&pullEmotes, "e", false, "Pull emotes")
 	flag.Parse()
 
diff --git a/settings.go b/settings.go
index 76c2741..18f0512 100644
--- a/settings.go
+++ b/settings.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ type Settings struct {
 	MaxMessageCount int
 	TitleLength     int // maximum length of the title that can be set with the /playing
 	AdminPassword   string
+	RegenAdminPass  bool // regenerate admin password on start?
 	StreamKey       string
 	ListenAddress   string
 	ApprovedEmotes  []string // list of channels that have been approved for emote use.  Global emotes are always "approved".
@@ -90,9 +91,11 @@ func LoadSettings(filename string) (*Settings, error) {
 		return s, fmt.Errorf("value for MaxMessageCount must be greater than 0, given %d", s.MaxMessageCount)
 	}
 
-	s.AdminPassword, err = generatePass(time.Now().Unix())
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to generate admin password: %s", err)
+	if s.RegenAdminPass == true || s.AdminPassword == "" {
+		s.AdminPassword, err = generatePass(time.Now().Unix())
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to generate admin password: %s", err)
+		}
 	}
 
 	if s.RateLimitChat == -1 {
diff --git a/settings_example.json b/settings_example.json
index bf3b028..cd9583c 100644
--- a/settings_example.json
+++ b/settings_example.json
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 	"MaxMessageCount": 300,
 	"TitleLength": 50,
 	"AdminPassword": "",
+	"RegenAdminPass": true,
 	"Bans": [],
 	"StreamKey": "ALongStreamKey",
 	"ListenAddress": ":8089",